It is one of ASTA’s strategic goals to collaborate with other organizations that share the same objectives on an issue. This allows ASTA to have a stronger voice in the public policy arena. ASTA works with industry partners as needed and is a member of a number of standing industry coalitions, including:
Alliance for a Stronger FDA
Funding for the FDA has not kept pace with the FDA’s additional responsibilities. The FDA needs more resources to fulfill its mission, and the Alliance works with Congress to build support for more Congressional funding for the FDA.
Food & Beverage Issues Alliance (FBIA) – Regulatory Committee, Co-Chair
The FBIA is a coalition of over 60 U.S. based food and beverage trade associations. The FBIA, through collaboration with regulatory authorities, ensures that food and beverage regulations and guidance are justified by verifiable, peer reviewed, published science that is accessible through an open and transparent process and enhance consumer understanding. In addition, FBIA works to ensure regulation implementation timelines are reasonable, achievable and economically feasible for both small and large food and beverage manufacturers. FBIA includes several working groups that ASTA Staff participates on, including co-chairing the Regulatory Working Group.
Crop Life America
The Crop Life America Food and Beverage Subcommittee works to increase understanding and cooperation between international food and beverage companies and associations with the plant science and crop protection community to identify opportunities that support the continued production of safe, sustainable and affordable agricultural products that meet the needs of our consumers. The Subcommittee serves as a forum through which food and beverage stakeholders can help advance regulatory approval, consumer acceptance and international harmonization of new and existing crop science technologies based on a rigorous, science-based process. These efforts will serve to reduce trade barriers while ensuring the availability of sustainable solutions to global food production needs.
Food Industry Codex Coalition
The Food Industry Codex Coalition (FICC) represents over 70 U.S. food companies, beverage companies and trade associations keenly interested in the international standard setting activities of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC). The primary objective of the FICC, which represents the entire food chain from production to retail, is to advocate for international food standards and policies based on science.
IOSTA – Secretariat
The International Organisation of Spice Trade Associations (IOSTA) represents the global spice industry, including local trade associations in growing regions and importing countries. The spice industry is an inherently global industry that supports the livelihoods of farmers in many developing nations. Spices are sourced from countries all over the world, and as such, the spice industry is entrenched in global trade. Food safety is of the utmost importance to the worldwide spice industry, and IOSTA works to advance education on good agricultural practices to protect the consumer and comply with regulatory requirements.
